Sep 7, 2012

This report offers a completely fresh look at men''s and women''s Health and Beauty routines, allowing marketers to understand people''s consumption patterns like never before. This offers unique opportunities to effectively target new consumer groups, behaviors and trends.

Introduction and LandscapeWhy was the report written?A lack of data on actual usage by specific consumers has forced observers to focus on shopper and retail audit data of Health and Beauty products, which provides an incomplete picture. Canadean''s consumer survey provides unique empirical data on actual consumer behavior, providing a completely fresh insight into these markets, consumption patterns and trends.

What is the current market landscape and what is changing?Traditional differences between men''s and women''s Health and Beauty routines are breaking down, with men increasingly adopting “female” habits. This creates in itself new opportunities for marketers. Meanwhile, the adoption of western consumption patterns by women in BRIC is leading to a greater global convergence of trends amongst women. Brands in the market must position themselves carefully if they are to take advantage of this evolution in men''s and women''s Health and Beauty routines.

What are the key drivers behind recent market changes?Consumer''s habits and routines are evolving, changing the nature of consumption over time. One of the main drivers of this is the development of BRIC economies, creating a more affluent consumer in this region with different needs to consumers in Western countries. Another key driver is an increased fear of aging, which is leading consumers to take an increased interest in products which target their age-related needs.

What makes this report unique and essential to read?The analysis provided is unique in the market as it tracks men''s and women''s behavior through to its actual impact on a product market. This provides readers with a unique analysis of the market, driven by survey-based data on consumer trends and groups, which is integrated with market data. This allows marketing tactics and strategy to be updated in line with the very latest consumer behaviors.

Key Market IssuesMany in the industry, especially in Western markets, expected a surge in the consumption of male branded products in the past few years, but growth has been more steady than spectacular. This is partly a result of men already using more grooming products than was realized and partly as a result of ineffective targeting of men by age groups and country.

Men seek out age-specific solutions more often than women. However, effective targeting of age-related needs can be difficult: people are interested in these benefits, but targeting needs created by age requires carefully thought out approaches or advertising risks alienating these consumers.

Growth in the BRIC region will be driven by females adopting Western-style consumption patterns. This is creating a global female consumer, which makes it easier to manage a global brand for women.

However, in Female Personal Hygiene, products should be positioned differently between the BRIC and Non-BRIC regions. Hygiene is a significant issue in BRIC, as shown by the success of Dettol in India, where the brand has extended its sanitation credentials to develop a successful Personal Care range. In contrast, health is less of an issue for consumers in the Non-BRIC region, who look for comfort and indulgence in their Personal Hygiene products.

Women are comfortable using men''s products to meet needs which aren''t being met by products targeted at them. For instance, women will use men''s disposable razors blades if they perceive them to be more effective or better value for money. Equally, they will use a Male Fragrance if they prefer its scent.

Key HighlightsMen are becoming more image-conscious. However, given that men already account for 47% of the volume of Health and Beauty products used in 2011, this increased image-consciousness will result in an increase in men''s consumption frequency rather than increasing product penetration, requiring different marketing tactics to exploit new opportunities.

Men''s consumption in BRIC and Non-BRIC countries is driven by different trends. For instance, men in the BRIC region are more interested in a product''s ingredients: the Quality Seeking and Technology Uptake trends rank six places higher, out of a total of 20 trends, than in the Non-BRIC region.

Whilst taking advantage of the growing number of opportunities in the male grooming market, the industry should not forget that women are still the most likely to use a product that is specially designed for them.

In 5 out of 7 markets the Older women''s share of consumption is equal to or higher than their share of the population. However, they under-consume (compared to their population share) in Haircare and Skincare. While older women tend to have shorter hair and therefore use fewer Haircare products, under-consumption in Skincare points to unmet demand.

Trend analysis shows relatively few women opt for products to meet needs for having the latest formulation, or being socially responsible. Ethical and technological positions can still be important in ensuring consumers think positively about a company, but specific products themselves will have to target other trends in order to have mass appeal.